UN chief urges Russia, Ukraine to demilitarize nuclear power plant

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres urged Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday to agree on a demilitarized perimeter around the Russian-held Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

“As a first step, Russian and Ukrainian forces must commit not to engage in any military activity towards the plant site or from the plant site,” Guterres told the UN Security Council.

“As a second step, an agreement on a demilitarized perimeter should be secured. Specifically, that would include a commitment by Russian forces to withdraw all military personnel and equipment from that perimeter and a commitment by Ukrainian forces not to move into it,” he told the 15-member body.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) earlier on Tuesday called for a security zone around Europe’s biggest nuclear power station, saying its experts had found extensive damage at the plant on the front in the war.